The history of British mountain biking.

[Globalti]

This film is pretty good, at least the first half for anybody who remembers Muddy Fox bikes and the early days of NEMBA races and such like.


View: https://youtu.be/e6zbENQcwkk

 

[sheddy]

More on the Rough Stuff Fellowship
https://www.rsf.org.uk/about-us/history-and-beginnings.html

 

[FrankCrank]

Saw that video a few days ago, definitely worth a watch. Have often wondered how the origins of MTBing were always categorically pinned on a few fellas riding down hills in that there California. Reckon the Brits have just as much claim. Why, I'd even go as far as to say me and my school mates started it over the rough ground next to the Reading tip. I defy anyone to claim otherwise

 

[raleighnut]

Saw that video a few days ago, definitely worth a watch. Have often wondered how the origins of MTBing were always categorically pinned on a few fellas riding down hills in that there California. Reckon the Brits have just as much claim. Why, I'd even go as far as to say me and my school mates started it over the rough ground next to the Reading tip. I defy anyone to claim otherwise

Same here, old clunker with wide (cowhorn) bars in the mid 70s.

 

[FrankCrank]

Same here, old clunker with wide (cowhorn) bars in the mid 70s.

....yep, had to be cowhorns. Suitable attire to be worn included high-waisted flares, Brutus round-collared shirt and DM's

 

[MontyVeda]

my mate had fake fur on his cowhorns.... we thought it was well cool when we were eight, but in hindsight, it probably looked a bit daft.

 

[rogerzilla]

When MTBs came out, I thought, "Meh. Raleigh Grifter."

 

[Globalti]

Back to the film, I've just watched it right to the end and I'm pleased to see that they ride through Phillip's Park, Manchester then Radcliffe and end up on Holcombe Hill. That was where I started my mountain biking life.

 

[MichaelW2]

Did France or Germany have their own Geoff Apps?

 

[Drago]

Ah, Geoff Apps. Absolute visionary, but practically no one listened.

He's battled the industry every step of the way, and against all logic and reason they've ignored him. Gary Fisher and Keith Bontrager, Fathers of the American MTB, recognised App's contribution, and when they first found out what her was doing in the early 80's with 29ers they were blown away. Fisher and Bontrager recently lobbied for Apps to be included in the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame, and just as it looked like he was about the get some recognition the organisers changed the rules to exclude bikes with tyres of less than 2" section, which instantly put Apps out of the game. This sort of challenge against apps was so long running, so widespread, I'm surprised he's so chilled about it and isn't thinking it's an Icke level consiracy.

 

[Spiderweb]

Great watch, thank you @Globalti

 

[carpenter]

I am sure that I remember a mate at school (about 1972/3) telling me about his scout group making "rough track bikes" (not called mountain bikes) in order to take part in a competition cycling through muddy tracks and woods. Seemed strange to me at the time because he was going on about using smaller frames and fatter tyres at a time when I was going for fixed wheel and skinny tyres.

 

[Drago]

You mean trackers? I still have one.

 

[carpenter]

Not sure, it was a long time ago. Have you got any links? I just looked up tracker bikes and got gps security/motor bikes.

edit: even better, I would love to see a photo

 

[Drago]

Trackers, this sort of thing...

Take a normal bike, remove any extraneous weight such as lights, mudguards, and often the front brake, fit cyclo cross or chunky touring tyres and cowhorn bars and you're away. Very similar to the cycle speedway bikes that were popular in the 50's.

Geoff Apps took the tracker bike one step further, fitting 27 wheels into a 26 frame, thus raising ground clearance and break over angle.